A three-year study focused on 120 women in working class jobs (approximately 75% of which were nontraditional) in three major California cities. Emphasis was on searching out factors and processes facilitating greater participation of women in nontraditional blue collar and working class occupations. Attention was given to their personal and work histories; current work or training situation; continuing employment experiences; manner in which they combine work roles with marriage, family, and community roles, and political and social attitudes. Data from open-ended interviews indicated the primacy of a continuous and early-developed sense among respondents that they will and must be employed, with the specific nature of that employment being a secondary concern. More than half of the women showed no prior interest in nontraditional work, and their movement into such fields was directly related to the appearance of a better employment opportunity. They appeared to take advantage of (1) opportunities opened up by government pressure, (2) information supplied by recruitment and counseling programs, and (3) referrals by friends and family. The significance of parents' occupation to career options and choices was also demonstrated. In general, development of specific work commitments and interests evolved as much from opportunities to learn about and participate in specific work roles as it did from gradual development of interests and orientation which lead to occupational preferences. (YLB)